The Summer Bride (TSBS-1) COMPLETED

Chapter Ten

You can teach a child how to think, but not what to think.
- Margaret Mead

Claire Bishop

The back door of the car opened by the same stoic guard who waited for me by the car.

I took the remaining steps toward the door and found the bouncing red-haired child, smiling brightly while wildly waving her hand at me. "Hi!"

I went in and sat myself on the plush seat, belting myself in. Looking at the little girl, I gave a nervous smile. "Hi."

From the other side of the car, Tyler looked up from his phone and said. "Hello, Claire."

I simply smiled at him.

The same bodyguard took the driver seat and started the engine. Tyler looked at me again and pointed at the big guy with jet black hair and hawk eyes who was currently manoeuvring the car. "Claire, that's my most trusted guard Simon."

Simon, the bodyguard glanced at the rear view mirror at that moment and nodded at me.

I smiled at him too.

My eyes roamed over Lydia. She wore a beautiful short sleeve dress with the top half being white, the bottom half being white polka dots on blue, both part joined by a black bow in the middle. I could see the fabric looked comfortable and lavish. No wonder her dad was a billionaire. The dad who was currently sucked into his world of business through his phone.

Looking out the window, watching the scenery change from small buildings to tall buildings, I tried to put my jumbling thoughts on hold. Since the little girl beside me kept on stealing glances from her iPad to me, I thought she was expecting me to say something and I knew I should converse with her.

For me, children were easy to talk with rather than the adults. I was always good with children. And this was a piece of cake for me but still why did I feel nervous? I talked with her before but at that time, I didn't know that this Little Ariel wanted me as her mother.

Mother.

What did she see in me to name me her mother? I had always felt disappointed in myself but this girl saw something good in me, saw something worth in me. Suddenly, I felt determined. I would do anything for this girl. I would make her the happiest girl ever. But first, I needed speak out.

I turned abruptly toward Lydia who instantly dropped her iPad beside her and looked up at me with wandering eyes. "How is your vacation going, Lydia? Oh, Can I call you that? Lydia, I mean. I know I called you Little Ariel at first but now that I know your name. What should I call you? It's not like I wouldn't call you Little Ariel anymore. I would because you'll always be my Little Ariel but I want to know what you like--"

"I think either one is fine with her. Right, Lydia?" Tyler's voice put a stop to my ranting. His eyes were on his daughter who was smiling. Tyler's amused eyes flickered to me and a cough came from the driver seat. I was damn sure, it was for covering the laugh.

Lydia fell back on her seat while giggling at me. "Yeah, both are fine."

My eyes roamed between Lydia, Tyler and Simon. I cleared my throat and rolled my eyes at Tyler.

All the nerves in me exploded at once that I failed to notice I was ranting. But thank god, Tyler interrupted before I could make myself more embarrassed than I was already. Not that I would ever let him know I was embarrassed. He had enough arrogance in him to last him a century. More were not needed.

Not bothering to reply to the man in the shirt, my eyes went toward Lydia but they immediately returned back to him. Shirt? No suit jacket, No tie? That was new. He noticed me eyeing his broad defined chest and a little smirk graced his aristocratic face, with a raise of one eyebrow.